Vehicular meter unit and display device

ABSTRACT

In a first display mode, a common image function component is displayed to occupy at least a part of a display region of a second specific image function component. In a second display mode, the common image function component is continuously displayed outside the second specific image function component to avoid the overlap therebetween (i.e., such that an exclusive positional relationship is made therebetween). When the display mode is switched, a final transition of the display mode to a display state in the second display mode is made while or after a moving image showing a transition process, in which the common image function component is moved from a display position in the first display mode to a display position in the second display mode, is displayed as a mode transition animation.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and incorporates herein by referenceJapanese Patent Applications No. 2007-97795 filed on Apr. 3, 2007, No.2007-246369 filed on Sep. 24, 2007, and No. 2008-21562 filed on Jan. 31,2008.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vehicular meter unit. The presentinvention also relates to a display device that switches a display of adisplay panel, in which multiple pixels are formed in a matrix shape,between a display image and a contraction image indicating the sameinformation.

2. Description of Related Art

A meter is installed in a cockpit for a vehicle (particularly for anautomobile) for displaying vehicle speed, engine rotation speed and thelike. A classical analog mechanical pointer type meter is known as suchthe meter. Also, a meter unit that is constructed of a display such as aliquid crystal panel and that displays a color image of the meter(so-called software meter) therein instead of the conventional analogmechanical meter, e.g., as described in Patent document 1(JP-A-2004-182092), is widely used. Such the meter unit has an advantageof capability of easily displaying a synthesized image window such as anight vision (i.e., a night view image) provided by an infrared camera,a camera image such as a back monitor image or a map image of a carnavigation system on a display screen together with the software meter.

In the case where a vehicle speed meter or a tachometer is constructedof a pointer type meter, the vehicle speed or the engine rotation speedcan be directly read from a pointer position. Thus, the pointer typemeter provides an advantage of intuitive recognition of the currentmeter indication value. However, the pointer type meter has adisadvantage that reading accuracy of the indication value is inferiorto that of a digital meter directly displaying the indication value infigures. Patent document 1 describes a scheme of combining the pointertype meter and the digital meter to compensate the disadvantages witheach other.

In the case where the image window such as the camera image or the mapimage is displayed on the display for displaying the meter, the meter isrequired to be displayed in a margin of the image window, so the displayof the meter tends to be restricted. Therefore, Patent document 1describes a scheme of switching the display mode between a first displaymode and a second display mode. The first display mode prioritizes themeter display by omitting the display of the image window. The seconddisplay mode displays the meter image in the margin of the image windowin the restricted manner by omitting or contracting the display of somemeters.

FIG. 5 of Patent document 1 shows a construction of a display form inthe first display mode of arranging a circular pointer type analog speedmeter and a tachometer of the same type side by side (in a horizontaldirection) and of locating a digital speed meter displaying the speed infigures in a central position between the speed meter and thetachometer. FIG. 6 of Patent document 1 shows a construction of adisplay form in the second display mode of locating an image window of acar navigation system in the center of the screen and of locating thepointer type analog speed meter and the tachometer respectively inmargins on both sides of the image window. However, this constructioncauses following defects (1) to (3) when the display mode is switchedfrom the first display mode to the second display mode, for example.

(1) The digital speed meter displayed in the center of the screen in thefirst display mode is vanished by the image window (subsidiaryinformation output section) as soon as the display mode is switched fromthe first display mode to the second display mode. Therefore, there is apossibility that a driver driving the vehicle while watching the digitalspeed meter loses the sight of the digital speed meter and feelsconfused.

(2) The pointer type analog speed meter and the tachometer are displayedin sufficient spaces extending to the vicinity of the center of thescreen in the first display mode. However, in the second display mode,the pointer type analog speed meter and the tachometer are displayed incompressed and deformed elliptic shapes in the margins on the both sidesof the image window (subsidiary information output section) as positionslargely moved from those of the first display mode. Since the form andthe position of the pointer type analog speed meter change at the sametime when the display mode is switched to the second display mode, thereis a possibility that the driver driving the vehicle while watching thepointer type analog speed meter needs some time to recognize that thepointer type analog speed meter in the second display mode isfunctionally equivalent to the pointer type analog speed meter in thefirst display mode and feels confused.

(3) For solving the above problem (1), FIG. 26 of Patent document 1shows a construction of continuously displaying the digital speed meteralso in the second display mode in a different position on the screen(specifically, in a lower position in the left end of the screen).However, also in this case, the digital speed meter still disappearsfrom the center of the screen in the second display mode. Therefore,there is a possibility that the driver needs some time to recognize thatthe display of the digital speed meter is continued in the positionmoved to the left end of the screen. Moreover, in the case where thedigital speed meter is displayed over the deformed pointer type analogspeed meter, there is a disadvantage of difficulty in reading thedigital speed meter.

Patent document 2 (JP-A-H9-123848) describes a display device thatswitches a display of a display panel such as a liquid crystal panel, inwhich multiple pixels are formed in a matrix shape, between a displayimage and a contraction image indicating the same information. Althoughnot clearly mentioned in Patent document 2, it is required to display acontraction image contracted in a form different from that of thedisplay image when the display image indicating certain information isdisplayed in a contracted manner. It is because recognition becomesdifficult if the display image is contracted in homogenous deformationand displayed without altering the form. Accordingly, it is required tocontract the display image by altering the form to enable therecognition.

Therefore, when the display is switched from the display image to thecontraction image, an image change as an addition of the change due tothe contraction and the change due to the alteration of the form givesan odd feeling to a viewer as a rapid change of the image. This problemoccurs also when the display is switched from the contraction image tothe display image.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to reduce confusion in readingof a meter display at the time when a display mode is switched.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicularmeter unit that enables a driver to easily recognize a correlationbetween display layouts of a meter in display modes of the meter beforeand after switching of the display mode and that largely alleviates aconfused feeling of the driver due to the mode switching at the timewhen the driver reads the meter even if the switching of the displaymode causes a large change in the display layout of the meter.

It is yet another object of the present invention to alleviate a changeof an image due to switching of a display of a display panel, in whichmultiple pixels are formed in a matrix shape, performed by a displaydevice switching the display between a display image and a contractionimage indicating the same information.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a vehicular meter unitarranged to face a driver's seat of a vehicle has a meter display deviceand a display control device. The meter display device displays aplurality of image function components, each of which is formed aseither one of an image meter indicating an obtained meter indicationvalue and an information output section other than the image meter forchanging a display state in accordance with an obtained informationcontent, on a screen of a display. The image function components includeat least one image meter. The display of the image function componentscan be switched between a first display mode and a second display modeproviding different display layouts of the image function components.The display control device sets a display region of a second specificimage function component in the second display mode such that thedisplay region of the second specific image function component overlapsat least partially with a display region of a common image functioncomponent in the first display mode on the screen after the switching ofthe display mode. The second specific image function component is theimage function component displayed as a display object only in thesecond display mode. The common image function component is the imagefunction component displayed as a display object in both of the firstdisplay mode and the second display mode. The display control devicesets a display region of the common image function component in thesecond display mode exclusively outside the display region of the secondspecific image function component. The display control device sets adisplay state in the second display mode in the case where the displaymode is switched from the first display mode to the second display modewhile or after a moving image showing a transition process of movementof the common image function component from a display position in thefirst display mode to a display position in the second display mode isdisplayed as a mode transition animation.

In the above configuration, the second specific image function componentis newly displayed when the display mode is switched to the seconddisplay mode. At this time, the common image function component havingbeen displayed to occupy at least a part of the display region of thesecond specific image function component in the first display mode iscontinuously displayed outside the second specific image functioncomponent in the second display mode such that the common image functioncomponent does not overlap with the second specific image functioncomponent (i.e., such that an exclusive positional relationship is madetherebetween). When the display mode is switched, the final transitionto the display state in the second display mode is made while or afterthe moving image showing the transition process, in which the commonimage function component moves from the display position of the firstdisplay mode to the display position of the second display mode, isdisplayed as the mode transition animation. As a result, a driver'ssight line can be guided to a transfer destination of the common imagefunction component in the second display mode through the modetransition animation. Therefore, although the common image functioncomponent disappears from the previous position in the first displaymode, the degree of the confusion the driver feels can be largelyreduced. Particularly if the moving image of continuously moving thecommon image function component along a route from the display positionin the first display mode to the display position in the second displaymode is displayed as the mode transition animation, the effect ofguiding the driver's sight line can be further enhanced.

The above effect is particularly effective in the case where the commonimage function component is an image meter that is frequently visuallyrecognized for reading an indication value. In particular, in the casewhere an area of the display region of the image meter is set smallerthan an area of the display region of the second specific image functioncomponent, a defect of losing sight of the small image meter due to thetransfer can be restricted remarkably and effectively.

In the case where the second specific image function component having alarge occupation rate in the vertical direction of the screen of thedisplay is displayed in the second display mode, it is preferable thatthe image meter constituting the common image function component isdisplayed adjacent to a right or a left side of the second specificimage function component. In this case, in the first display mode, theimage meter (the common image function component) is displayed in aposition overlapping with a (scheduled) display region of the secondspecific image function component. In the second display mode, the imagemeter moves relatively largely in the right direction or the leftdirection such that the display position is changed to a positionadjacent to the second specific image function component. According tothe aspect of the present invention, regardless of the large movement ofthe image meter in the lateral direction due to the mode switching, thedriver's sight line can be securely guided to the movement destinationby the mode transition animation. An example of the second specificimage function component having the large occupation rate in thevertical direction of the screen is a camera image display section(e.g., a display screen of a night vision or a back view) or a carnavigation screen display section.

The display control device may display the image meter constituting thecommon image function component in the same form in the first displaymode and the second display mode. Thus, the common image functioncomponent changes only the position thereof without changing the displayform thereof when the mode is switched. Therefore, the guidance of thedriver's sight line by the mode transition animation can be performedmore securely. The mode transition animation for moving the common imagefunction component can be produced by only changing a position forputting the image of the common image function component having the sameform on a frame over moving image frames of the animation. Accordingly,the work for producing the moving images of the animation can be largelysimplified. An example of the image meter constituting the common imagefunction component having such the form is a digital speed meter. Thedigital speed meter displays a current speed value with digits of acertain font. The moving image frames of the animation can be easilyproduced by only sequentially changing a putting position of the digitfont image indicating the speed indication value on the frames along themovement direction.

The display control device may set a display region of a first specificimage function component such that the display region of the firstspecific image function component overlaps at least partially with thedisplay region of the second specific image function component on thescreen after the switching of the display mode. The first specific imagefunction component is the image function component displayed as adisplay object only in the first display mode. In this case, the displaycontrol device may provide a display state in the second display mode inthe case where the display mode is switched from the first display modeto the second display mode while, or after a moving image, in which adisplay state of the first specific image function component isgradually erased, is displayed as the mode transition animation.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the vehicularmeter unit has a meter display device and a display control device. Themeter display device displays a plurality of image function components,each of which is formed as either one of an image meter displaying anobtained meter indication value and an information output section otherthan the image meter for changing a display state in accordance with anobtained information content, on a screen of a display. The imagefunction components include at least one image meter. The display of theimage function components can be switched between a first display modeand a second display mode providing different display layouts of theimage function components. The display control device sets a displayregion of a first specific image function component such that thedisplay region of the first specific image overlaps at least partiallywith a display region of a second specific image function component onthe screen after the switching of the display mode. The first specificimage function component is the image function component displayed as adisplay object only in the first display mode. The second specific imagefunction component is the image function component displayed as adisplay object only in the second display mode. The display controldevice provides a display state in the second display mode in the casewhere the display mode is switched from the first display mode to thesecond display mode while or after a moving image, in which a displaystate of the first specific image function component is graduallyerased, is displayed as a mode transition animation.

The first specific image function component is displayed only in thefirst display mode and occupies a region, where the second specificimage function component is supposed to be displayed in the seconddisplay mode, as a “preceding visitor.” Accordingly, if the firstdisplay mode is suddenly switched to the second display mode, the firstspecific image function component suddenly disappears and instead, thesecond specific image function component appears to emerge suddenly inthe region having been occupied by the first specific image functioncomponent. Therefore, a feeling of disconnection of the image or a senseof loss for the first specific image function component having beendisplayed is very large. As a result, a driver cannot quickly recognizethat the first specific image function component has disappearedimmediately after the display mode is switched to the second displaymode. The driver is confused and unconsciously looks for the firstspecific image function component.

As contrasted thereto, with the above construction, the moving image forgradually erasing the display state of the first specific image functioncomponent is displayed as the mode transition animation when the displaymode is switched from the first display mode to the second display mode.Therefore, the state of the disappearance of the first specific imagefunction component can be strongly impressed to the driverpsychologically through the animation. As a result, the driver canquickly recognize nonexistence of the first specific image functioncomponent in the second display mode, easing the confusion of thedriver.

The display control device may display the moving image, in which thefirst specific image function component is gradually contracted toward aconvergence point beforehand defined within the display region of thesecond specific image function component in the second display mode anderased, as the mode transition animation. Since the first specific imagefunction component is contracted from an original display size and iserased, the feeling of the disconnection of the image due to theswitching of the display mode can be effectively eased. Further, thedisplay control device may display the moving image, in which the firstspecific image function component is faded out and erased, as the modetransition animation. Also in this case, the feeling of thedisconnection of the image can be effectively eased. Combination of bothis also effective. Likewise, the moving image for erasing the firstspecific image function component in a swept manner from one end side tothe other end side along a predetermined erasing direction on the screenmay be displayed as the mode transition animation.

For example, the first specific image function component preferable asan application object is an image meter that has a relatively large areamaking it difficult to display the image meter simultaneously with thesecond specific image function component having a large area in thesecond display mode and that has low frequency of visual recognition bythe driver. Alternatively, for example, the first specific imagefunction component preferable as the application object is an imagemeter that can be replaced by another image meter having the same kindof an indication object parameter in the second display mode. Forexample, in—the case of an example of a meter display of vehicle speed,the first specific image function component may be a rotational pointertype analog speed meter having a scale plate with a large display area.In this case, a digital speed meter having a small meter occupation areamay be displayed in the second display mode. The digital speed meter canbe employed as the common image function component displayed in both ofthe first and second display modes. In consequence, in the first displaymode, the driver can securely and quickly recognize the current vehiclespeed visually through both of the rotational pointer type analog speedmeter (the first specific image function component) and the digitalspeed meter. In the second display mode, even if the second specificimage function component (for example, the image display windowconsisting of the aforementioned camera image display section or the carnavigation screen display section) is newly displayed, the vehicle speedcan be continuously read through the digital speed meter. When thedisplay mode is switched to the second display mode, the layout of themeters is largely changed such that the rotational pointer type analogspeed meter (the first specific image function component) is erased andthe digital speed meter moves to the outside of the second specificimage function component. However, the driver can easily recognize thecorrelation with the layout in the first display mode by the above modetransition animation (for example, the driver can recognize which metermoves and which meter is erased). As a result, the confusion in thereading of the meter due to the switching of the mode can be largelyreduced.

In the first display mode, a rotational pointer type analog output meterindicating an output state of a vehicle drive section may be provided asthe first specific image function component different from therotational pointer type analog speed meter such that the rotationalpointer type analog output meter is displayed adjacently to and togetherwith the rotational pointer type analog speed meter side by side on thescreen. The second specific image function component may be an imagedisplay window that is formed to overlap with and bridge both of therotational pointer type analog output meter and the rotational pointertype analog speed meter arranged side by side and that constitutes thecamera image display section or the car navigation screen displaysection. The display control device may display a moving image forgradually contracting and erasing the rotational pointer type analogoutput meter and the rotational pointer type analog speed meter arrangedside by side toward a convergence point defined at an intermediateposition between the rotational pointer type analog output meter and therotational pointer type analog speed meter with respect to the lateraldirection and for moving the digital speed meter constituting the commonimage function component toward an outside of a side edge of the imagedisplay window opposite to the contraction direction to the convergencepoint of the rotational pointer type analog speed meter as the modetransition animation.

The rotational pointer type analog output meter and the rotationalpointer type analog speed meter are displayed in large areas adjacent toeach other side by side in the first display mode but the image displaywindow is displayed in the position overlapping with and bridging theboth of the rotational pointer type analog output meter and therotational pointer type analog speed meter in the second display mode.Therefore, the rotational pointer type analog output meter and therotational pointer type analog speed meter are erased in the modetransition animation such that the rotational pointer type analog outputmeter and the rotational pointer type analog speed meter are contractedtoward the convergence point set in the intermediate positiontherebetween and erased in the second display mode.

The digital speed meter having occupied a scheduled display position ofthe image display window in the first display mode moves in thedirection opposite to the direction of the contraction and the erasureof the rotational pointer type analog speed meter and is finallydisplayed adjacently to the image display window side by side. Thus, themovement of the contraction of the rotational pointer type analog speedmeter and the movement of the digital speed meter in the lateraldirection do not cross each other in the same direction and the movementof the digital speed meter continuously displayed also in the seconddisplay mode can be smoothly traced.

The display control device may hold the indication value of the imagemeter relating to the display of the mode transition animation and mayfix an indication state of the image meter to the held indication valuein the middle of displaying the mode transition animation when thedisplay mode is switched from the first display mode to the seconddisplay mode. Thus, a complicated process of renewing in real time themeter indication value generated in the middle of output process of themoving image of the mode transition animation for every moving imageframe becomes unnecessary. As long as the display time of the modetransition animation is kept within a relatively limited time relatingto the display mode switching, the driver does not feel a stronguncomfortable feeling even if the indication value of the image meter isheld during the time. In the case where the image meter relating to thedisplay of the mode transition animation includes the rotational pointertype analog meter, with the above scheme, a pointer position of therotational pointer type analog meter on the moving image is fixed to theheld indication value during the display and output of the modetransition animation.

The mode transition animation may be outputted in the form, in which thepointer image is eliminated from the rotational pointer type analogmeter. Thus, a complicated process of reflecting in real time the meterindication value generated during the output processing of the movingimage of the mode transition animation in the pointer position for everymoving image frame becomes unnecessary. Further, as long as the displaytime of the mode transition animation is within a relatively limitedtime relating to the display mode switching, a driver does not feel astrong uncomfortable feeling even if the pointer disappears from therotational pointer type analog meter during the time.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicular meterunit has a first meter display device, a second meter display device,and a display mode switching device. The first meter display devicedisplays an image indicative of speed of a vehicle on a screen of adisplay as a first display mode with the use of a pointer type analogspeed meter having a pointer, which can move along a prescribedindication track, and a scale plate graphic, which is formed along theindication track, and an image of a digital speed meter, which digitallyindicates a speed indication value of the pointer with a digit image, ina first position specific to the first display mode together with thepointer type analog speed meter. The second meter display devicedisplays a subsidiary information output section, which is specific to asecond display mode and is not displayed in the first display mode, onthe screen of the display as the second display mode such that thesubsidiary information output section overlaps with and bridges both ofa region occupied by the pointer type analog speed meter in the firstdisplay mode and a region occupied by the digital speed meter in thefirst display mode while erasing the image of the pointer type analogspeed meter. The second meter display device moves the digital speedmeter from the first position to a second position specific to thesecond display mode, which does not overlap with the subsidiaryinformation output section, and displays the digital speed meter at thesecond position. The display mode switching device switches an imagedisplay state of the display between the first display mode and thesecond display mode.

With the configuration, when the display mode is switched to the seconddisplay mode, the image of the pointer type analog speed meter is erasedand the subsidiary information output section is newly displayed on thescreen. In addition, the digital speed meter displayed in the firstdisplay mode such that the digital speed meter occupies at least a partof a display region of the subsidiary information output section iscontinuously displayed outside the subsidiary information output sectionin the second display mode such that the digital speed meter does notoverlap with the subsidiary information output section (i.e., such thatexclusive positional relationship is made therebetween). That is, theimage of the pointer type analog speed meter is erased in the seconddisplay mode and only the digital speed meter remains as the displaydevice of the current vehicle speed in the second display mode.Accordingly, after the transition to the second display mode, thecurrent vehicle speed can be grasped immediately with the digital speedmeter without being troubled by the pointer type analog speed meter as aredundant vehicle speed indicator. Moreover, the display position of thedigital speed meter is changed to the second position, which does notoverlap with the subsidiary information output section. Accordingly, theoptical recognition of the digital speed meter is further improved.Thus, the confusion that the driver feels can be largely reduced eventhough the digital speed meter disappears from the position (the firstposition) originally provided in the first display mode.

From the viewpoint of quick recognition of the display position of thedigital speed meter after the transition to the second display mode, itis preferable that the digital image displayed by the digital speedmeter for indicating the speed indication value is set at the samedisplay size in both of the first display mode and the second displaymode. In this case, it is more preferable that the digital imagedisplayed by the digital speed meter for indicating the speed indicationvalue is set with the same font in both of the first display mode andthe second display mode.

In this case, when the display mode switching device switches thedisplay mode from the first display mode to the second display mode, thedisplay mode switching device may switch the digital speed meterdirectly from the display state at the first display position to thedisplay state at the second display position without going through adisplay state at an intermediate position between the first position andthe second position. With the configuration, since the switching processdoes not go through the display state at the intermediate position,display position alteration process regarding the digital speed metercan be simplified. In this case, the digital speed meter appears toinstantly move from the first position to the second position when thedisplay mode is switched from the first display mode to the seconddisplay mode. However, the moving destination is the outside region ofthe subsidiary information output section where the pointer type analogspeed meter disappeared. Accordingly, even if the display position isaltered instantly, the trouble of losing the sight of the digital speedmeter can be suppressed.

When the meter display mode switching device switches the display modefrom the first display mode to the second display mode, the meterdisplay mode switching device may perform the switching from the displaystate of the digital speed meter at the first position to the displaystate of the digital speed meter at the second position after thecompletion of the erasure of the pointer type analog speed meter. Withthis configuration, the alteration of the display position of thedigital speed meter is performed after the pointer type analog meter,which can be a cause of the confusion of the visual recognition of thedigital speed meter when the meter display mode is switched, iscompletely erased once. As a result, the trouble of losing the sight ofthe digital speed meter can be further suppressed.

When the meter display mode switching device switches the display modefrom the first display mode to the second display mode, the meterdisplay mode switching device may perform display control of causing thesubsidiary information output section to emerge after the completion ofthe switching from the display state of the digital speed meter at thefirst position to the display state of the digital speed meter at thesecond position. The subsidiary information output section can be also acause of the confusion of the visual recognition of the digital speedmeter when the meter display mode is switched. Since the above-describedconfiguration causes the subsidiary information output section to emergeafter the completion of the alteration of the display position of thedigital speed meter, the trouble of losing the sight of the digitalspeed meter can be further suppressed.

When the meter display mode switching device switches the display modefrom the first display mode to the second display mode, the meterdisplay mode switching device may provide the display state in thesecond display mode after displaying a moving image of gradually erasingthe display state of the pointer type analog speed meter as a modetransition animation. The pointer type analog speed meter is displayedonly in the first display mode and occupies a region, where thesubsidiary information output section is supposed to be displayed in thesecond display mode, as a “preceding visitor.” Accordingly, if the firstdisplay mode is suddenly switched to the second display mode, thepointer type analog speed meter suddenly disappears and instead, thesubsidiary information output section appears to emerge suddenly in theregion having been occupied by the pointer type analog speed meter.Therefore, a feeling of disconnection of the image or a sense of lossfor the pointer type analog speed meter having been displayed is verylarge. As a result, the driver cannot quickly recognize that the pointertype analog speed meter has disappeared immediately after the displaymode is switched to the second display mode. The driver is confused andunconsciously looks for the pointer type analog speed meter. Ascontrasted thereto, with the above configuration, when the display modeis switched from the first display mode to the second display mode, themoving image of gradually erasing the display state of the pointer typeanalog speed meter is displayed as the mode transition animation.Accordingly, the state of the disappearance of the pointer type analogspeed meter can be impressed strongly on the driver's feeling with theanimation. As a result, the absence of the pointer type analog speedmeter in the second display mode can be quickly impressed on the driver,reducing the confusion.

In this case, the meter display mode switching device may display amoving image, in which the pointer type analog speed meter is graduallycontracted toward a convergence point defined within the display regionof the subsidiary information output section in the second display modeand erased, as the mode transition animation. Since the pointer typeanalog speed meter is contracted from an original display size and iserased, the feeling of the disconnection of the image due to theswitching of the display mode can be effectively alleviated. Further,the display control device may display a moving image, in which thepointer type analog speed meter is faded out and erased, as the modetransition animation. Also in this case, the feeling of thedisconnection of the image can be effectively alleviated. Combination ofboth is also effective. Likewise, a moving image for erasing the pointertype analog speed meter in a swept manner from one end side to the otherend side along a predetermined erasing direction on the screen may bedisplayed as the mode transition animation.

The subsidiary information output section may be an image display windowproviding a camera image display section or a car navigation imagedisplay section. Such the image display window has a relatively largearea, enlarging the distance for altering the display position of thedigital speed meter accompanying the switching of the display mode.However, since the analog speed meter disappears, the trouble of losingthe sight of the digital speed meter can be effectively reduced. In thiscase, when the meter display mode switching device switches the displaymode from the first display mode to the second display mode, the meterdisplay mode switching device may provide the display state in thesecond display mode after displaying a moving image of causing the imagedisplay window to gradually emerge as a mode transition animation. Bycausing the image display window having the large area to graduallyemerge through the mode transition animation, an odd feeling due to thesudden emergence of the image display window accompanying the switchingof the display mode can be reduced.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a display devicehas a display panel in which a plurality of pixels are formed in amatrix shape and a control device for switching a display of the displaypanel among a first display image indicating first information, acontraction image indicating the first information in a form that iscontracted from the first display image and that is different from thefirst display image and an intermediate image indicating the firstinformation in the same size as the first display image and in a formthat is the same as or similar to the contraction image. When thedisplay is switched between the first display image and the contractionimage, the display is switched to the intermediate image in the courseof the switching of the display.

With the configuration, when the display is switched between the firstdisplay image and the contraction image that is contracted from thefirst display image and that has the form different from the firstdisplay image, the display is switched to the intermediate image havingthe same size as the first display image and the form that is the sameas or similar to the contraction image in the course of the switching ofthe display. In consequence, the changes in both of the form and thesize of the image due to the switching of the display between the firstdisplay image and the contraction image can be separated into a changeof the form of the image due to the switching of the display between thefirst display image and the intermediate image and a change of the sizeof the image due to the switching of the display between the contractionimage and the intermediate image. Therefore, a change of the image dueto the switching of the display between the first display image and thecontraction image can be moderated.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the display deviceswitches the display from the intermediate image to the contractionimage by gradually contracting the intermediate image to a size of thecontraction image. In consequence, a change in the size of the image dueto the switching of the display from the intermediate image to thecontraction image can be moderated. Accordingly, the change of the imagedue to the switching of the display from the first image to thecontraction image can be further moderated.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the display deviceswitches the display from the contraction image to the intermediateimage by gradually enlarging the contraction image to the size of theintermediate image. In consequence, a change in the size of the imagedue to the switching of the display from the contraction image to theintermediate image can be moderated. Accordingly, the change of theimage due to the switching of the display from the contraction image tothe first display image can be further moderated.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, when thedisplay is switched to the contraction image, the display devicedisplays a second display image indicating second information by using aregion obtained by subtracting a region where the contraction image isindicated from a region where the first display image was indicated. Inconsequence, in addition to the aforementioned effects, the regionproduced by switching the display to the contraction image can beeffectively used and therefore, many pieces of information can bedisplayed in a limited space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features and advantages of embodiments will be appreciated, as well asmethods of operation and the function of the related parts, from a studyof the following detailed description, the appended claims, and thedrawings, all of which form a part of this application. In the drawings:

FIG. 1A is a front view showing a screen display example of a vehicularmeter unit in a first display mode according to a first embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 1B is a front view schematically showing the vehicular meter unitaccording to the first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a screen display example of the vehicularmeter unit in a second display mode according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical construction of thevehicular meter unit according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a first erasing mode of a pointer typeanalog meter constituting a first specific image function component in amode transition animation according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a second erasing mode according to the firstembodiment;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a third erasing mode according to the firstembodiment;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a moving mode of a digital speed meterconstituting a common image function component in the mode transitionanimation according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an actual example of the modetransition animation according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram subsequent to FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram subsequent to FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram subsequent to FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an operation process flow of the modetransition animation according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a conceptual diagram showing a decorative inverted shadowimage according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a transition sequence from afirst display mode to a second display mode according to a secondembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a mode transitionanimation concerning emergence of an image display window according tothe second embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the modetransition animation concerning the emergence of the image displaywindow according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of font alteration of a digitalimage of a digital speedometer accompanying switching of a display modeaccording to the second embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a circuit structure diagram showing a display deviceaccording to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19A is a front view showing a liquid crystal panel displaying firstdisplay images according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 19B is a front view showing the liquid crystal panel displayingintermediate images according to the third embodiment; and

FIG. 19C is a front view showing the liquid crystal panel displayingcontraction images according to the third embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be explained withreference to the drawings. FIG. 1A is a bit map image showing a screendisplay example of a vehicular meter unit in a first display modeaccording to the present embodiment. FIG. 1B is a diagram schematicallyshowing the same screen display example. The vehicular meter unit 1 islocated to face a driver's seat of an automobile (a vehicle) anddisplays multiple meter images together on a display 210 in a form inwhich the meter images are congregated in a predetermined layout. Thedisplay 210 has a color liquid crystal panel 108 (LCD: Liquid CrystalDisplay) and a back light module 309 as shown in FIG. 3. As examples ofthe meter images, a gear position meter 503, speed meters 504A, 504D, arotational pointer type analog output meter 501 showing a total outputand a regeneration state of a hybrid vehicle, an average fuelconsumption meter 506, a residual fuel quantity meter 507 (fuel meter)and a coolant temperature meter 509 are displayed.

The speed meters 504A, 504D include a rotational pointer type analogspeed meter 504A and a digital speed meter 504D. The rotational pointertype analog speed meter 504A has a pointer 502 that can move along acircular-arc-shaped indication track and a scale plate graphic 40 formedalong the indication track. The digital speed meter 504D digitallydisplays an indication value of the pointer 502 in figures in a regioncontaining a rotational center O of the pointer 502 inside theindication track on a screen SCR. A digit 50 is displayed in the digitalspeed meter 504D, and a decorative inverted shadow image 50M provided inan area 504S by vertically inverting the digit 50 is displayed under thedigit 50 (also refer to FIG. 13).

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of an electricalconfiguration of the vehicular meter unit 1. A substantial part of theconfiguration is a meter ECU 200 that performs major control of themeter display. A substantial part of the meter ECU 200 is formed of amicrocomputer, in which CPU 281, ROM 282, RAM-283, drawing LSI 106 andan input/output section 280 are connected through an internal bus. TheROM 282 stores meter drawing software, graphic data necessary fordrawing the respective meters 503, 504A, 504D, 501, 506, 507, 509, andfont data of the digit (the digit 50) for displaying the speed in thedigital speed meter 504D. The display image data of the decorativeinverted shadow image 50M is produced by using the font data.

Network connection is made between the meter ECU 200 and another ECUsuch as a body system ECU 300 through an interface 126 and a serialcommunication bus 127. Thus, the meter ECU 200 serves also as anoperation state parameter obtaining device. The body system ECU 300 isconnected with a sensor group for obtaining basic operation stateinformation to be displayed with the meter. For example, the sensorgroup includes a vehicle speed sensor 301, a vehicle output sensing unit302, a coolant temperature sensor 303 of a coolant, a residual fuelquantity sensor 304, an average fuel consumption calculation section305, a gear position sensing section 306 and the like.

The meter ECU 200 obtains sensing information from the sensor group301-306 through the communication bus 127 and reflects indication valuesof the sensing information in master images of the corresponding meters(stored in the ROM 282, for example). Thus, the meter ECU 200 producesthe drawing data of the respective meters (hereinafter, referred to asmeter drawing data). A sensing value of the gear position sensingsection 306 shown in FIG. 3 is reflected in the gear position meter 503.A sensing value of the vehicle speed sensor 301 is reflected in thespeed meters 504A, 504D. A sensing value of the vehicle output sensingunit 302 is reflected in the rotational pointer type analog output meter501. A fuel consumption calculation value of the average fuelconsumption calculation section 305 is reflected in the average fuelconsumption meter 506. A sensing value of the residual fuel quantitysensor 304 is reflected in the residual fuel quantity meter 507. Asensing value of the coolant temperature sensor 303 is reflected in thecoolant temperature meter 509. The drawing LSI 106 receives the drawingdata and synthesizes the images on a graphic memory 107. Then, thedrawing LSI 106 outputs the synthesized images to the liquid crystalpanel 108 (and thus, the drawing LSI 106 realizes functions of a displaycontrol means, a first meter display means, a second meter displaymeans, and a display mode switching means of claims in cooperation withthe meter ECU 200 that executes meter drawing software).

Next, a characteristic part of the first display mode in light of thedesign will be explained. As shown in FIG. 13, concerning a horizontalreference line HK extending along a lower edge of a display region ofthe digit 50 on the screen of the display 210 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B,a virtual projection plane HP including the horizontal reference line HKis set in the depth direction of the screen SCR. Further, it is assumedthat a virtual illumination light VL is projected to the digit 50 froman upper side in front of the screen SCR where a user's viewpoint UIexists. In such the condition, the decorative inverted shadow image 50Mis displayed in a three-dimensional manner in the form of imitating theprojection image of the digit 50 reflected on the virtual projectionplane HP by the virtual illumination light VL (also refer to FIG. 1B).The decorative inverted shadow image 50M having such the form is madesuch that, when the digit 50 is regarded as an object in an erectingshape in the screen SCR, the reflected projection image made by theillumination light from the upper side in front of the screen SCR isexpressed as if a water surface (or a mirror surface) exists under theobject. Thus, an image of a refreshing and wide space can be produced onthe limited display screen SCR of the meter.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the decorative inverted shadow image 50M imitatingthe reflected projection image is displayed in a lower portion in frontof the digit 50 on the virtual projection plane HP as a gradation image,whose brightness gradually reduces as distance from the lower edge ofthe digit 50 increases. In consequence, the brightness of the decorativeinverted shadow image 50M is further reduced in the shallow side of thescreen SCR (i.e., a side closer to the user) where the projectionreflected light amount is reduced, enhancing reality as the reflectedprojection image. In addition, a decorative plane image DP extendingalong the virtual projection plane HP is displayed behind the meterimage on the screen SCR in the form of producing a focus point in thedepth direction of the screen SCR in perspective. By positivelydisplaying such the decorative plane image DP, the existence of thevirtual projection plane HP to the position corresponding to thedecorative plane image DP can be actualized more. Thus, the user canintuitively recognize the decorative inverted shadow image 50M as thereflected projection image. The decorative plane image DP is displayedas the gradation image, whose brightness gradually reduces as a distancefrom the meter image increases backward on the virtual projection planeHP or a distance from the center of the screen SCR increases in theright-hand direction or the left-hand direction of the horizontaldirection. Thus, the perspective in the case of assuming the existenceof the light source LS of the virtual illumination light VL in the upperside in front of the screen SCR can be produced more realistically. InFIG. 1B, a multiplicity of decorative stripes converging in the remotefocus point in the depth direction of the screen are formed on thedecorative plane image DP and the decorative plane image DP is designedsuch that the decorative plane image DP fades out in front of the focuspoint due to reduction of the brightness. Thus, a feeling ofthree-dimensional depth is enhanced.

An outline of a flow of meter operation processing concerning, forexample, the speed meters 504A, 504D performed by the meter drawingsoftware is as follows. First, when the engine starts, the sensing valueof the vehicle speed obtained from the body system ECU 300 is obtainedand the meter operation processing is performed in accordance with theobtained vehicle speed. The processing routine is repeatedly performeduntil the engine stops. For example, as shown in FIG. 1B, the pointer502 of the analog speed meter 504A is drawn such that the pointer 502moves to a scale position corresponding to the obtained vehicle speedand the value indicating the vehicle speed is displayed in the digitalspeed meter 504D by using the aforementioned font data. Through therepetition of the processing routine, the drawn position of the pointer502 and the displayed value of the digital speed meter 504D changeaccording to a change of the obtained engine rotation speed.

FIG. 2 shows an image display example in the second display mode with abit map image. The image display of FIG. 2 is clearly different from thefirst display mode of FIG. 1A in the layout. As shown in FIG. 3, mutualswitching between the first display mode and the second display mode isalternately and repeatedly performed each time a display mode switchingswitch 290 connected to the meter ECU 200 (or another ECU connectedthrough the communication bus 127) is operated once. The display modeswitching switch 290 is provided in a position where the driver caneasily operate the display mode switching switch 290 in a vehiclecompartment such as a steering wheel or a center console section.

As clearly known from the comparison between FIG. 2 and FIG. 1A, thedigital speed meter 504D, the average fuel consumption meter 506, thegear position meter 503, the residual fuel quantity meter 507 and thecoolant temperature meter 509 are common image function componentsdisplayed in both of the first display mode and the second display mode.As contrasted thereto, the rotational pointer type analog speed meter504A and the rotational pointer type analog output meter 501 are firstspecific image function components displayed only in the first displaymode of FIG. 1A.

Further, in the second display mode of FIG. 2, a large image displaywindow 510 is displayed in the center of the screen SCR. The imagedisplay window 510 displays a night view image (infrared night visionimage) of an outside of the vehicle taken by a known night vision camera307 (infrared camera) connected to the body system ECU 300 shown in FIG.3, a guide image based on a map provided by a car navigation system 308connected through the communication bus 127 or the like. In FIG. 2, thenight vision image is shown as a representative example, but the imageis not limited thereto. The image display window 510 constitutes asecond specific image function component displayed only in the seconddisplay mode.

When FIGS. 1A and 2 are overlapped and compared, it is clearlyunderstood that the digital speed meter 504D, the average fuelconsumption meter 506 and the gear position meter 503 out of the imagemeters constituting the common image function components are displayedin display positions of the first display mode shown in FIG. 1Aoverlapping with the display region of the second specific imagefunction component in the second display mode, i.e., the region in whichthe image display window 510 is supposed to be displayed as shown inFIG. 2. Specifically, an entirety of the gear position meter 503overlaps with the region of the image display window 510. The averagefuel consumption meter 506 and the digital speed meter 504D overlap withthe image display window 510 only partly. The display positions of thethree image meters 504D, 506, 503 in the second display mode are setonly outside the display region of the image display window 510, whichis the second specific image function component. In the example of FIG.2, the digital speed meter 504D is allotted and arranged in the rightmargin of the image display window 510, and the average fuel consumptionmeter 506 and the gear position meter 503 are allotted and arranged inthe left margin.

As shown in FIG. 2, the display position and the size of the imagedisplay window 510 in the second display mode are set such that theimage display window 510 overlaps with and bridges both of therotational pointer type analog speed meter 504A and the rotationalpointer type analog output meter 501 (the first specific image functioncomponents) in FIG. 1A in the center of the screen SCR of the display210. The rotational pointer type analog speed meter 504A and therotational pointer type analog output meter 501 are not displayed in thesecond display mode of FIG. 2. That is, the rotational pointer typeanalog speed meter 504A and the rotational pointer type analog outputmeter 501 are vanished when the display mode is switched to the seconddisplay mode.

When the display mode of the display 210 is switched from the firstdisplay mode shown in FIG. 1A to the second display mode shown in FIG.2, a mode transition animation is displayed through the execution of themeter drawing software. The mode transition animation includes a movingimage showing a transition process of the movement of the digital speedmeter 504D, the average fuel consumption meter 506 and the gear positionmeter 503 constituting the common image function components from thedisplay positions in the first display mode shown in FIG. 1A to thedisplay positions in the second display mode shown in FIG. 2. The modetransition animation also includes a moving image displaying a gradualtransition from the display state shown in FIG. 1A to an erasure stateshown in FIG. 2 of the rotational pointer type analog speed meter 504Aand the rotational pointer type analog output meter 501 constituting thefirst specific image function components. FIGS. 8 to 11 show an embodiedexample of the mode transition animation. A frame 1 in FIG. 8 is a startpoint frame of the animation and corresponds to the display screen inthe first display mode shown in FIG. 1A. A frame 16 in FIG. 11 is an endpoint frame of the animation and corresponds to the display screen inthe second display mode shown in FIG. 2. The other frames 2 to 15 show acontinuous flow of the moving image display between the frames 1 and 16.

In this example, a convergence point of the image contraction isconceptually set in the intermediate position between the rotationalpointer type analog output meter 501 and the rotational pointer typeanalog speed meter 504A with respect to the horizontal direction. Themoving image processing is performed such that the rotational pointertype analog output meter 501 and the rotational pointer type analogspeed meter 504A fade out and disappear while gradually contractingtoward the convergence point as shown in the frames 2 to 8 (of FIGS. 8and 9). FIG. 4 schematically shows this process. At this time,afterimage processing is applied to the image meters 501, 504A in eachframe. In addition, as described above, on the three-dimensionalbackground (including the virtual projection plane HP) extending in thescreen depth direction using the gradation provided by the virtual lightsource LS (FIG. 13) and the perspective, an innovative display effect isachieved as if the image meters 501 (501′), 504A (504A′) fly away towarda distance indicated by the vanishing point. Alternatively, the imagemeters 501 (501′), 504A (504A′) (i.e., the first specific image functioncomponents) may disappear while fading out as shown in FIG. 5.Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6, the image meters 501 (501′), 504A(504A) may disappear in a swept manner in a direction from one end sidetoward the other end side along a predetermined erasing direction on thescreen (a direction from the lower edge to the upper edge of the screenin the example of FIG. 6).

As shown in the frames 2 to 10 (in FIGS. 8 to 10), when the moving imagefor erasing the image meters 501, 504A starts, moving image processingfor causing the image display window 510 to gradually emerge on thescreen is performed in association with the start of the movingprocessing for erasing the image meters 501, 504A. In the example, theimage display window 510 (510′) emerges to gradually swell upward fromthe lower side of the screen to the upper side of the screen frame byframe. The image display window 510 (510′) is in a no-image output stateof outputting no image in the middle of displaying the moving image ofthe emergence. When arrival at the final display position in the seconddisplay mode is completed (i.e., when the frame 10 is achieved), adisplay object image (in this example, the night vision image) isdisplayed in the image display window 510 (510″) (in the frames 11 to16).

As shown in the frame 1 (in FIG. 8), the digital speed meter 504D isdisplayed inside the rotational pointer type analog speed meter 504A. Asapparently known from the comparison with the frame 16 (in FIG. 11), thedisplay region of the image display window 510 in the second displaymode overlaps with the display region of the digital speed meter 504D inthe first display mode. Accordingly, the image display window 510 caninterfere with the digital speed meter 504D when the image displaywindow 510 swells upward. Therefore, in the example, the digital speedmeter 504D (504D′) starts moving toward the right margin of the imagedisplay window 510 (510′) to dodge the image display window 510 (510′)swelling upward (in the frame 3). Then, the digital speed meter 504D(504D′) continues moving in parallel with the movement of the imagedisplay window 510 (510′) (in the frames 3 to 7). When the digital speedmeter 504D (504D′) reaches a final display position in the seconddisplay mode, the moving image processing stops the movement of thedigital speed meter 504D (504D′) (in the frame 8). FIG. 7 schematicallyshows the process. It is apparent that the digital speed meter 504D(504D′) is moving toward an outside of a side edge of the image displaywindow 510 (a right edge side in FIG. 7) opposite to the contractiondirection toward the convergence point Q of the rotational pointer typeanalog speed meter 504A.

Moving image processing of the average fuel consumption meter 506 (506′)is performed such that the average fuel consumption meter 506 (506′)does not perform the movement to dodge the image display window 510(510′) but fades out at the display position in the first display modewhile being fixed to the same display position as shown in the frames 2to 6. Separately from the processing, an average fuel consumption meter506″ is newly displayed at a final display position in the seconddisplay mode, which is set in the left margin of the image displaywindow 510 (510″), such that the average fuel consumption meter 506″fades in at the final position (as shown in the frames 12 to 15). Movingimage processing for the gear position meter 503 (503′, 503″) is similarto that of the average fuel consumption meter 506 (506′, 506″). Theaverage fuel consumption meter 506 (506″) starts to fade in at thedisplay position in the second display mode (from the frame 12) afterthe fade-out of the average fuel consumption meter 506 (506′) at thedisplay position in the first display mode is completer (until the frame8). However, the gear position meter 503 (503″) starts to fade in at thesecond display mode (in the frames 2 to 4) while the display of the gearposition meter 503 (503′) in the first display mode is continued (in theframes 1 to 12). After the display of the gear position meter 503 (503′,503″) is continued simultaneously at both the positions for a certainperiod (in the frames 5 to 12), the display of the gear position meter503 (503′) in the first display mode fades out (in the frames 14 to 16).

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a flow of the display processing of themode transition animation. When the switching of the display mode isdetected in S1 (S means “step”), the indication values of the respectiveimage meters as of the detection of the mode switching are captured inS2. Then, the frame 1 (i.e., the start point frame shown in FIG. 8) isproduced by fixing the indication states of the image meters 503, 504A,504D, 501, 506, 507, 509 in the first display mode and the frame 16(i.e., the end point frame shown in FIG. 11) incorporating the imagedisplay window 510 is produced in S3. In S4, the animation data (shownin FIG. 3) that is made of bit map data and that indicates the displaystates of the respective image meters 503, 504A, 501, 506, 507, 509 andthe image display window 510 other than the pointers for the respectiveintermediate frames (i.e., the frames 2 to 15). In S5, the pointerimages are put in positions indicated by the respective capturedindication values for the respective image meters 504A, 501, 506, 507,509 each having the pointer in the bit map data of each intermediateframe. In regard to the digital speed meter 504D, a digit fontindicating the captured speed value is read out from the font data shownin FIG. 3 and is put in the corresponding position on each frame alongthe movement track as the moving image. When the intermediate frames arecompleted in this way, the intermediate frames are played as the modetransition animation in S6. During the play, the display states of therespective image meters 503, 504A, 504D, 501, 506, 507, 509 are fixed tothe captured indication values respectively. When the end point frame 16is reached in S7, the process goes to S8, in which the obtainment of theindication values of the respective image meters is resumed and thedisplay operation in the second display mode is started.

The putting processing of the pointer images in S5 to the respectiveintermediate frames may be omitted. In this case, the image meters 504A,501, 506, 507, 509 each having the pointer are brought to a state wherethe pointers are erased for a moment.

The switching from the first display mode to the second display mode isexplained above. In the switching from the second display mode to thefirst display mode, a mode transition animation changing in the reversedirection may be displayed. Alternatively, in view of a situation wherea driver is familiar with the layout and the like in the first displaymode as a usual setting state, the mode transition animation may not bedisplayed particularly.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be describedwith reference to the drawings. FIG. 14 schematically shows an imageprocessing sequence at the time when the display mode is switched fromthe first display mode shown in FIG. 1A to the second display mode shownin FIG. 2. As shown in a state 1, both of the digital speed meter 504Dand the pointer type analog speed meter 504A are displayed in the firstdisplay mode. As contrasted thereto, the pointer type analog speed meter504A is erased as the display mode is switched to the second displaymode as shown in a state 2. In FIG. 14, image control is performed suchthat the image state displaying the pointer type analog speed meter 504Ain the first display mode directly switches to the image state showingthe completion of the erasure of the same as shown in the state 2without going through an intermediate state. That is, the image controlof completing the transition in a single frame is performed.

As shown in a state 3, the digital speed meter 504D moves from aspecific first position P1 as a display position in the first displaymode to a specific second display position as a display position in thesecond display mode set in a right or left margin (right margin in thisexample) outside the image display window 510 to avoid an overlap withthe image display window 510 (which is a subsidiary information outputsection). When the display mode is switched from the first display modeto the second display mode, the digital speed meter 504A is directlyswitched from the displayed state in the first position P1 to thedisplayed state in the second display position P2 not via a displaystate at an intermediate position between the first display position P1and the second display position P2. That is, the image control of thedigital speed meter 504D is performed such that the digital speed meter504D moves from the first position P1 to the second position P2 in thesingle frame. The digit image indicating the speed indication value ofthe digital speed meter 504D is set such that the font and the displaysize of the digit image are the same between the first display mode andthe second display mode.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 17, only the display size of the digitimage indicating the speed indication value of the digital speed meter504D may be set the same in the first and second display modes and thefont of the digit image may be differentiated between the first andsecond display modes. In the example of FIG. 17, the digit image isdisplayed in the normal font in the first display mode and is displayedin the bold face (upper one in FIG. 17) or in italics (lower one in FIG.17) in the second display mode. The display state around the digitalspeed meter 504A largely changes between the first display mode and thesecond display mode also because of the erasure of the pointer typeanalog speed meter 504A. Accordingly, there is a possibility that thevisually recognized dimensions look different due to optical illusioneven when the sizes of the digit images are the same. Therefore, in theexample, for fine adjustment, the display size of the digit image may beslightly differentiated between the first and second display modes.Moreover, in the second display mode in which the speed is indicatedonly by the digital speed meter 504D, the display size of the digitimage may be set larger in the second display mode than in the firstdisplay mode for achieving emphasis.

When the pointer type analog speed meter 504A is erased, the digitalspeed meter 504 is maintained at the first position P1 (refer to thestate 3) as the display position in the first display mode until theerasure completes. At that time, setting can be made such that thedigital speed meter 504D maintains the display state in the firstdisplay position P1 for a predetermined period (for example, 0.1 to 1second) after the erasure of the pointer type analog speed meter 504A iscompleted as shown in the state 2 and then moves to the second positionP2 as shown in the state 3.

Alternatively, a transition from the display state in the first displaymode of the state 1 to the image state, in which both of the erasure ofthe pointer type analog speed meter 504A and the movement of the digitalspeed meter 504D to the second position P2 are completed as shown in thestate 3, may be made in a single frame by skipping the state 2.

Then, the image display window 510 is displayed as shown in a state 4 ofFIG. 14. In this example, the display state is switched in a singleframe directly from the state, in which the image display window 510 isnot displayed, to the state 4, in which the entirety of the imagedisplay window 510 is displayed. Alternatively, the transition from thedisplay state in the first display mode of the state 1 to the displaystate of the state 4 may be made in a single frame by skipping thestates 2 and 3.

Also, a mode transition animation can be displayed and output throughexecution of the meter drawing software when the display mode of thedisplay 210 is switched from the first display mode of FIG. 1A to thesecond display mode of FIG. 2 as in the first embodiment. The modetransition animation includes a moving image of displaying the pointertype analog speed meter 504A and the pointer type analog output meter501 constituting the first specific image function components in FIG. 1Asuch that the display state of the pointer type analog speed meter 504Aand the pointer type analog output meter 501 gradually changes towardthe erasure state shown in FIG. 2.

In this example, a convergence point of the image contraction isconceptually set in the intermediate position between the pointer typeanalog output meter 501 and the pointer type analog speed meter 504Awith respect to the horizontal direction in which the meters 501, 504Aare arranged side by side. The moving image processing is performed suchthat the pointer type analog output meter 501 and the pointer typeanalog speed meter 504A fade out and disappear while graduallycontracting toward the convergence point (as shown in FIG. 4). At thistime, afterimage processing is applied to the image meters 501 (501′),504A (504A′) in each frame. In addition, in the three-dimensionalbackground (including the virtual projection plane HP) in the screendepth direction using the gradation provided by the virtual light sourceLS (FIG. 13) and the perspective as described above, an innovativedisplay effect is achieved as if the image meters 501 (501′), 504A(504A′) fly away toward a distance indicated by the vanishing point.Alternatively, the image meters 501 (501′), 504A (504A′) (i.e., thefirst specific image function components) may disappear while fading outas shown in FIG. 5. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6, the image meters501 (501′), 504A (504A′) may disappear in a swept manner in a directionfrom one end side toward the other end side along a predeterminederasing direction on the screen (a direction from the lower edge to theupper edge of the screen in the example of FIG. 6).

At this time, the display control of the digital speed meter 504D can beset such that the digital speed meter 504D is held at the firstposition, P1 (refer to the state 3) as the display position in the firstdisplay mode until the moving image for gradually erasing the pointertype analog speed meter 504A is completed. In this case, the digitalspeed meter 504D may be moved to the second position after the displaystate at the first position is maintained for a predetermined periodafter the moving image is completed. Alternatively, the digital speedmeter 504D may be moved to the second position immediately after themoving image is completed since the user can strongly recognize that themode switching is in progress if the erasure of the pointer type analogspeed meter 504A is shown in the moving image. Alternatively, themovement of the digital speed meter 504D to the second position may beperformed in the middle of the display period of the moving image.

Moving image processing for causing the image display window 510 togradually emerge onto the screen may be performed as shown in FIGS. 15and 16. FIG. 15 shows an example of the moving image for causing theimage display window 510 to gradually swell upward from the lower sideof the screen frame by frame (in the order of a state 31, a state 32 andthe state 4). FIG. 16 shows an example of the moving image for causingthe image display window 501 to fade in (in the order of a state 341, astate 342 and the state 4).

In this case, it is preferable that the movement of the digital speedmeter 504D to the second position P2 is completed before the movingimage for causing the image display window 510 to gradually emerge ontothe screen is started. In the case where the image display window 510gradually swells upward onto the screen frame by frame, the displaystate of the digital speed meter 504D at the first position P1 may bemaintained even after the start of the moving image in a period in whichthe image display window 510 does not overlap with the digital speedmeter 504D displayed at the first position P1. The display period of themoving image of the erasure of the pointer type analog speed meter 504Amay partly overlap with a display period of the moving image of theemergence of the image display window 510. For example, an end side partof a period of the moving image of the erasure of the pointer typeanalog speed meter 504A may overlap with a start side period of themoving image of the emergence of the image display window 510. Thus, thetwo moving images can be displayed in the overlapped manner during theperiod.

Also in the second embodiment, the display processing of the modetransition animation of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 12 may beexecuted.

Next, a display device according to a third embodiment of the presentinvention will be explained with reference to the drawings. A displaydevice 601 shown in FIG. 18 is used as an in-vehicle display device, forexample. The display device 601 has a liquid crystal panel 602 as adisplay panel, a light-emitting diode 603, CPU 604 (central processingunit) as a controller, a drawing IC 605 (integrated circuit), ROM 641(read-only memory) and an image memory 651 capable of rewriting storagedata.

The liquid crystal panel 602, in which multiple pixels 621 are formed ina matrix shape, is a liquid crystal panel of an active matrix typedriven by a thin film transistor (TFT) (not shown). Each pixel 621incorporates a red pixel, a green pixel and a blue pixel. Voltage isapplied to a gate of the TFT to control voltage applied to the redpixel, the green pixel and the blue pixel in each pixel 621. Thus,respective optical transmittances of the red pixel, the green pixel andthe blue pixel in each pixel 621 are controlled. The light-emittingdiode 603 emitting white light is a light source located behind theliquid crystal panel 602 to illuminate the liquid crystal panel 602 in atransmissive manner. The light-emitting diode 603 is lit by the CPU 604.Full-color display of the liquid crystal panel 602 is performed byilluminating the pixels 621, in each of which the optical transmittancesof the red pixel, the green pixel and the blue pixel are controlled,with the light-emitting diode 603 in the transmissive manner.

The CPU 604 takes in signals of a rotation sensor 661 for sensing enginerotation speed (rpm) of a vehicle as first information and the like andinputs the signals to the drawing IC 605. The CPU 604 further takes insignals of an indicator/warning sensor 662 relating to an indicator forinforming an operating state of devices equipped in the vehicle andrelating to warning of an abnormality in the vehicle and the like andinputs the signals to the drawing IC 605. The ROM 641 stores variousimage data such as a rotation meter image 607 and a speed meter image608 as first display images and indicator/warning images 691-694 b shownin FIGS. 19A to 19C.

The image data is transferred from the ROM 641 to the image memory 651in response to a command from the CPU 604. The drawing IC 605 controlsthe voltage applied to each of the red pixel, the green pixel and theblue pixel in each pixel 621 based upon the image data of the imagememory 651 and the inputted first information or the indicator/warninginformation to control the display state of each the multiple pixels621. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 19A to 19C, the rotation meter image 607,the speed meter image 608, the indicator/warning images 691-694 b andthe like are displayed on the liquid crystal panel 602.

If a night vision switch 611 is turned on, the CPU 604 receives an ONsignal of the night vision switch 611 through a night vision ECU 610(electronic control unit) and inputs a signal of a night image taken byan infrared camera 612 as second information to the drawing IC 605through the night vision ECU 610. The infrared camera 612 takes thenight image by reflection of an infrared light irradiated from a frontpart of the vehicle. In response to a command from the CPU 604, thedrawing IC 605 controls the voltages respectively applied to the redpixel, the green pixel and the blue pixel in each pixel 621 based uponthe signal of the night image to control the display state of each ofthe multiple pixels 621. Thus, as shown in FIG. 19C, a night visionimage 613 as a second display image is displayed on the liquid crystalpanel 602. When the night vision switch 611 is turned off, the nightvision image 613 is not displayed on the liquid crystal panel 602 asshown in FIG. 19A.

The rotation meter image 607 is an image indicating a rotation metershowing the engine rotation speed (rpm) of the vehicle and is providedwith a pointer image 671 indicating a pointer rotating withincrease/decrease of the engine rotation speed, a scale image 672indicating a scale pointed by the pointer and a character image 674indicating characters pointed by the pointer. The scale image 672 isdisplayed within a scale region 673.

The speed meter image 608 is an image indicating a speed meterdisplaying speed of the vehicle as the first information. Like therotation meter image 607, the speed meter image 608 is provided with apointer image 681 indicating a pointer rotating with increase/decreaseof the speed of the vehicle, a scale image 682 indicating a scalepointed by the pointer and a character image 684 indicating characterspointed by the pointer. The scale image 682 is displayed within a scaleregion 683. The indicator/warning images 691-694 b are images indicatingindicators and warnings.

Next, the display switching of the rotation meter image 607 and thespeed meter image 608 according to the present embodiment will beexplained with reference to FIGS. 19A to 19C.

The rotation meter image 607 shown in FIG. 19A is displayed on theliquid crystal panel 602 when the night vision switch 611 is off. Thedisplay is switched from the rotation meter image 607 to an intermediateimage 607 a shown in FIG. 19B when the night vision switch 611 is turnedon. While a predetermined period (for example, one second) elapses afterthe night vision switch 611 is turned on, the intermediate image 607 ais gradually contracted to a size of a contraction image 607 b shown inFIG. 19C to switch the display from the intermediate image 607 a to thecontraction image 607 b.

The contraction image 607 b is an image indicating the same enginerotation speed of the vehicle as the engine rotation speed indicated bythe rotation meter image 607. However, the contraction image 607 b is animage that is contracted from the rotation meter image 607 and that hasa form different from that of the rotation meter image 607. In thepresent embodiment, the pointer image 671 of the rotation meter image607 is altered to a pointer image 671 b in the contraction image 607 bshorter than the pointer image 671 and the character image 674 of therotation meter image 607 is not displayed in the contraction image 607b. Along with the switching of the display from the rotation meter image607 to the contraction image 607 b, the positions of theindicator/warning images 691, 692 in FIG. 19A are changed to positionsof indicator/warning images 691 b, 692 b shown in FIG. 19C.

The intermediate image 607 a is an image that indicates the same enginerotation speed of the vehicle with a pointer image 671 a as the enginerotation speed indicated by the rotation meter image 607 and has thesame size as the rotation meter image 607. The intermediate image 607 ais an image that has a form different from the rotation meter image 607but the same form as the contraction image 607 b. A relative positionalrelationship between the intermediate image 607 a and theindicator/warning images 691 a, 692 a is set the same as a relativepositional relationship between the contraction image 607 b and theindicator/warning images 691 b, 692 b.

In this way, the changes in both of the form and the size of the imagedue to the switching of the display between the rotation meter image 607and the contraction image 607 b can be separated into the change of theform of the image due to the switching of the display between therotation meter image 607 and the intermediate image 607 b and the changeof the size of the image due to the switching of the display between thecontraction image 607 b and the intermediate image 607 a. Therefore, thechange of the image due to the switching of the display between therotation meter image 607 and the contraction image 607 b can bemoderated.

Since the intermediate image 607 a is gradually contracted to the sizeof the contraction image 607 b, the change of the size of the image dueto the switching of the display from the intermediate image 607 a to thecontraction image 607 b can be moderated. Accordingly, the change of theimage due to the switching of the display from the rotation meter image607 to the contraction image 607 b can be moderated further.

The relative positional relationship between the intermediate image 607a and the indicator/warning images 691 a, 692 a is set the same as therelative positional relationship between the contraction image 607 b andthe indicator/warning images 691 b, 692 b. Therefore, the change of theimage due to the switching of the display from the rotation meter image607 including the indicator/warning images 691, 692 to the contractionimage 607 b including the indicator/warning images 691 b, 692 b can bemoderated further.

The image is contracted from the rotation meter image 607 to thecontraction image 607 b but the form and the size of each image are notchanged from the indicator/warning images 691, 692 to theindicator/warning images 691 b, 692 b. Therefore, the contraction doesnot cause difficulty in the recognition of the indicator/warning images691 b, 692 b.

Also in the case of the speed meter image 608, like the rotation meterimage 607, the speed meter image 608 shown in FIG. 19A is displayed onthe liquid crystal panel 602 when the night vision switch 611 is off.The display is switched from the speed meter image 608 to anintermediate image 608 a shown in FIG. 19B when the night vision switch611 is turned on. While the aforementioned predetermined period elapsesafter the night vision switch 611 is turned on, the intermediate image608 a is gradually contracted to a size of a contraction image 608 bshown in FIG. 19C to switch the display from the intermediate image 608a to the contraction image 608 b.

The contraction image 608 b is an image indicating the same speed of thevehicle as the speed indicated by the speed meter image 608 but is animage that is contracted from the speed meter image 608 and that has aform different from the speed meter image 608. In the presentembodiment, the pointer image 681 of the speed meter image 608 isaltered to a speed image 681 b in the contraction image 608 b and thecharacter image 684 of the speed meter image 608 is not displayed in thecontraction image 608 b. The scale region 683 of the speed meter image608 is altered to a scale region 683 b in the contraction image 608 b.Thus, the position of the indicator/warning image 694 in FIG. 19A ischanged to the position of the indicator/warning image 694 b in FIG. 19Csuch that the indicator/warning image 694 b is displayed to overlap withthe scale region 683 b. That is, the scale region 683 b is not displayedin a region where the scale region 683 b overlaps with theindicator/warning image 694 b. A scale image 682 b is displayed withinthe scale region 683 b.

Along with the switching of the display from the speed meter image 608to the contraction image 608 b, the position of the indicator/warningimage 693 in FIG. 19A is changed to the position of theindicator/warning image 693 b in FIG. 19C.

The intermediate image 608 a is an image indicating the same speed ofthe vehicle as the speed indicated by the speed meter image 608. Theintermediate image 608 a has the same size as the speed meter image 608.The intermediate image 608 a has a form that is different from the speedmeter image 608 but is the same as the contraction image 608 b. Therelative positional relationship between the intermediate image 608 aand the indicator/warning images 693 a, 694 a is set the same as therelative positional relationship between the contraction image 608 b andthe indicator/warning images 693 b, 694 b. A speed image 681 a, a scaleimage 682 a and a scale region 683 a of the intermediate image 608 a areshown in FIG. 19B.

Thus, also in the speed meter image 608, as in the case of the rotationmeter image 607, the changes in both of the form and the size of theimage due to the switching of the display between the speed meter image608 and the contraction image 608 b can be separated into the change ofthe form due to the switching of the display between the speed meterimage 608 and the intermediate image 608 a and the change of the sizedue to the switching of the display between the contraction image 608 band the intermediate image 608 a. Accordingly, the change of the imagedue to the switching of the display between the speed meter image 608and the contraction image 608 b can be moderated.

Since the intermediate image 608 a is gradually contracted to the sizeof the contraction image 608 b, the change of the size due to theswitching of the display from the intermediate image 608 a to thecontraction image 608 b can be moderated. Accordingly, the change of theimage due to the switching of the display from the speed meter image 608to the contraction image 608 b can be moderated further.

The relative positional relationship between the intermediate image 608a and the indicator/warning images 693 a, 694 a is set the same as therelative positional relationship between the contraction image 608 b andthe indicator/warning images 693 b, 694 b. Accordingly, the change ofthe image due to the switching of the display from the speed meter image608 including the indicator/warning images 693, 694 to the contractionimage 608 b including the indicator/warning images 693 b, 694 b can befurther moderated.

The image is contracted from the speed meter image 608 to thecontraction image 608 b but the form and the size of each image are notchanged from the indicator/warning images 693, 694 to theindicator/warning images 693 b, 694 b. Therefore, the contraction doesnot cause difficulty in the recognition of the indicator/warning images693 b, 694 b.

As shown in FIG. 19C, when the display is switched to the contractionimages 607 b, 608 b, the night vision image 613 is displayed by using aregion made by subtracting a region where the contraction images 607 b,608 b are displayed from a region where the rotation meter image 607 andthe speed meter image 608 were displayed. Thus, the region produced byswitching the display to the contraction images 607 b, 608 b can beeffectively used and therefore, many pieces of information can bedisplayed in a limited space.

As described above, the display device 601 according to the presentembodiment has the liquid crystal panel 602, the CPU 604 and the drawingIC 605. The liquid crystal panel 602 is the display panel, in which themultiple pixels 621 are formed in the matrix shape. The CPU 604 and thedrawing IC 605 constitute the controller for switching the display ofthe liquid crystal panel 602 among the rotation meter image 607 as thefirst display image indicating the engine rotation speed of the vehicleas the first information, the contraction image 607 b indicating theengine rotation speed of the vehicle in the form that is contracted fromthe rotation meter image 607 and that is different from the rotationmeter image 607, and the intermediate image 607 a indicating the enginerotation speed of the vehicle in the same size as the rotation meterimage 607 and in the form that is the same as or similar to thecontraction image 607 b. When the display is switched between therotation meter image 607 and the contraction image 607 b, the display isswitched to the intermediate images 607 a, 608 a in the middle of theswitching of the display. Thus, the change of the image due to theswitching of the display between the first display image and thecontraction image can be moderated.

The third embodiment may be modified, for example, as follows. That is,though an example of a case where the night vision switch 611 is turnedon is explained in the third embodiment, the same can be applied to acase where the night vision switch 611 is turned off. In this case, thedisplay is switched from the contraction image 607 b to the intermediateimage 607 a and then to the rotation meter image 607. Likewise, thedisplay is switched from the contraction image 608 b to the intermediateimage 608 a and then to the speed meter image 608.

In the third embodiment, the intermediate images 607 a, 608 arespectively have the same forms as the contraction images 607 b, 608 b.Alternatively, the intermediate images 607 a, 608 a may have formssimilar to those of the contraction images 607 b, 608 b. With thisconfiguration, an effect similar to the aforementioned effect can beachieved.

It should be noted that the display image is not limited to the rotationmeter image 607 or the speed meter image 608. Alternatively, a displayimage other than the pointer meter image indicating the pointer metermay be used.

It should be noted that the display image is not limited to the displayimage indicating each piece of information such as the rotation meterimage 607 or the speed meter image 608. For example, in FIGS. 19A to19C, a collective image of the rotation meter image 607 and theindicator/warning images 691, 692 may be provided as a first displayimage 620. In this case, a collective image of the intermediate image607 a and the indicator/warning images 691 a, 692 a may be provided asan intermediate image 620 a and a collective image of the contractionimage 607 b and the indicator/warning images 691 b, 692 b may beprovided as a contraction image 620 b.

A collective image of the speed meter image 608 and theindicator/warning images 693, 694 may be provided as a first displayimage 630. In this case, a collective image of the intermediate image608 a and the indicator/warning images 693 a, 694 a may be provided asan intermediate image 630 a and a collective image of the contractionimage 608 b and the indicator/warning images 693 b, 694 b may beprovided as a contraction image 630 b.

The liquid crystal panel 602 may be a monochrome liquid crystal panelnot showing a full color display.

In place of the liquid crystal panel 602 as the light-receiving typedisplay panel (i.e., a non-light-emitting type display panel), an ELdisplay panel (an electro luminescence display panel) as thelight-emitting type display panel may be used.

The present invention is not limited to the aforementioned examples, butmay be applied to a combination thereof or other various modifications.

While the invention has been described in connection with what ispresently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments,it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to thedisclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover variousmodifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

1. A vehicular meter unit arranged to face a driver's seat of a vehicle,the vehicular meter unit comprising: a meter display means fordisplaying a plurality of image function components, each of which isformed as either one of an image meter indicating an obtained meterindication value and an information output section other than the imagemeter for changing a display state in accordance with an obtainedinformation content, on a screen of a display in such a manner that thedisplay of the image function components can be switched between a firstdisplay mode and a second display mode providing different displaylayouts of the image function components, wherein the image functioncomponents include at least one image meter; and a display control meansfor setting a display region of a second specific image functioncomponent, which is the image function component displayed as a displayobject only in the second display mode, in the second display mode suchthat the display region of the second specific image function componentoverlaps at least partially with a display region of a common imagefunction component, which is the image function component displayed as adisplay object in both of the first display mode and the second displaymode, in the first display mode on the screen after the switching of thedisplay mode, for setting a display region of the common image functioncomponent in the second display mode exclusively outside the displayregion of the second specific image function component, and forproviding a display state in the second display mode in the case wherethe display mode is switched from the first display mode to the seconddisplay mode while or after a moving image showing a transition processof movement of the common image function component from a displayposition in the first display mode to a display position in the seconddisplay mode is displayed as a mode transition animation.
 2. Thevehicular meter unit as in claim 1, wherein the mode transitionanimation is a moving image, in which the common image functioncomponent continuously moves along a route from the display position inthe first display mode to the display position in the second displaymode.
 3. The vehicular meter unit as in claim 1, wherein the commonimage function component is the image meter, and the display controlmeans sets an area of the display region of the image meter to besmaller than an area of the display region of the second specific imagefunction component.
 4. The vehicular meter unit as in claim 3, whereinthe image meter constituting the common image function component isdisplayed adjacent to a right side or a left side of the second specificimage function component in the second display mode.
 5. The vehicularmeter unit as in claim 1, wherein the display control means displays theimage meter constituting the common image function component in the sameform in the first display mode and the second display mode.
 6. Thevehicular meter unit as in claim 1, wherein the image meter constitutingthe common image function component is a digital speed meter.
 7. Thevehicular meter unit as in claim 1, wherein the second specific imagefunction component is a camera image display section or a car navigationscreen display section.
 8. The vehicular meter unit as in claim 1,wherein the display control means sets a display region of a firstspecific image function component, which is the image function componentdisplayed as a display object only in the first display mode, such thatthe display region of the first specific image function componentoverlaps at least partially with the display region of the secondspecific image function component on the screen after the switching ofthe display mode, and the display control means provides a display statein the second display mode in the case where the display mode isswitched from the first display mode to the second display mode while orafter a moving image, in which a display state of the first specificimage function component is gradually erased, is displayed as the modetransition animation.
 9. The vehicular meter unit as in claim 8, whereinthe display control means displays a moving image, in which the firstspecific image function component is gradually contracted toward aconvergence point defined in the display region of the second specificimage function component in the second display mode and erased, as themode transition animation.
 10. The vehicular meter unit as in claim 8,wherein the display control means displays a moving image, in which thefirst specific image function component is gradually faded out and iserased, as the mode transition animation.
 11. The vehicular meter unitas in claim 8, wherein the display control means displays a movingimage, in which the first specific image function component is erased ina swept manner from one end side to the other end side along apredetermined erasing direction on the screen, as the mode transitionanimation.
 12. The vehicular meter unit as in claim 8, wherein the imagemeter constituting the common image function component is a digitalspeed meter, and the first specific image function component is arotational pointer type analog speed meter.
 13. The vehicular meter unitas in claim 12, wherein the first display mode is provided such that arotational pointer type analog output meter indicative of an outputstate of a vehicle drive section is displayed as the first specificimage function component different from the rotational pointer typeanalog speed meter such that the rotational pointer type analog outputmeter and the rotational pointer type analog speed meter are displayedsimultaneously and adjacently to each other side by side on the screen,the second specific image function component is an image display windowthat is formed to overlap with and bridge both of the rotational pointertype analog output meter and the rotational pointer type analog speedmeter provided side by side and that constitutes the camera imagedisplay section or the car navigation screen display section, thedisplay control means gradually contracts and erases the rotationalpointer type analog output meter and the rotational pointer type analogspeed meter toward a convergence point defined at an intermediateposition between the rotational pointer type analog output meter and therotational pointer type analog speed meter with respect to a directionin which the rotational pointer type analog output meter and therotational pointer type analog speed meter are arranged side by side,and the display control means displays a moving image, in which thedigital speed meter constituting the common image function component ismoved toward an outside of a side edge of the image display windowopposite to the contraction direction to the convergence point of therotational pointer type analog speed meter, as the mode transitionanimation.
 14. The vehicular meter unit as in claim 1, wherein thedisplay control means holds an indication value of the image meterrelating to the display of the mode transition animation and fixes anindication state of the image meter to the held indication value in themiddle of displaying the mode transition animation when the display modeis switched from the first display mode to the second display mode. 15.The vehicular meter unit as in claim 1, wherein the image meter relatingto the display of the mode transition animation includes a rotationalpointer type analog meter, and the mode transition animation isdisplayed while eliminating a pointer image from the rotational pointertype analog meter.
 16. The vehicular meter unit arranged to face adriver's seat of a vehicle, the vehicular meter unit comprising: a meterdisplay means for displaying a plurality of image function components,each of which is formed as either one of an image meter displaying anobtained meter indication value and an information output section otherthan the image meter for changing a display state in accordance with anobtained information content, on a screen of a display in such a mannerthat the display of the image function components can be switchedbetween a first display mode and a second display mode providingdifferent display layouts of the image function components, wherein theimage function components include at least one image meter; and adisplay control means for setting a display region of a first specificimage function component, which is the image function componentdisplayed as a display object only in the first display mode, to overlapat least partially with a display region of a second specific imagefunction component, which is the image function component displayed as adisplay object only in the second display mode, on the screen after theswitching of the display mode and for providing a display state in thesecond display mode in the case where the display mode is switched fromthe first display mode to the second display mode while or after amoving image, in which a display state of the first specific imagefunction component is gradually erased, is displayed as a modetransition animation.
 17. A vehicular meter unit comprising: a firstmeter display means for displaying an image indicative of speed of avehicle on a screen of a display as a first display mode with the use ofa pointer type analog speed meter having a pointer, which can move alonga prescribed indication track, and a scale plate graphic, which isformed along the indication track, and an image of a digital speedmeter, which digitally indicates a speed indication value of the pointerwith a digit image, in a first position specific to the first displaymode together with the pointer type analog speed meter; a second meterdisplay means for displaying a subsidiary information output section,which is specific to a second display mode and is not displayed in thefirst display mode, on the screen of the display as the second displaymode such that the subsidiary information output section overlaps withand bridges both of a region occupied by the pointer type analog speedmeter in the first display mode and a region occupied by the digitalspeed meter in the first display mode while erasing the image of thepointer type analog speed meter, for moving the digital speed meter fromthe first position to a second position specific to the second displaymode, which does not overlap with the subsidiary information outputsection, and for displaying the digital speed meter at the secondposition; and a display mode switching means for switching an imagedisplay state of the display between the first display mode and thesecond display mode.
 18. The vehicular meter unit as in claim 17,wherein the digital image displayed with the digital speed meter forindicating the speed indication value is set at the same display size inboth of the first display mode and the second display mode.
 19. Thevehicular meter unit as in claim 17, wherein the digital image displayedwith the digital speed meter for indicating the speed indication valueis set with the same font in both of the first display mode and thesecond display mode.
 20. The vehicular meter unit as in claim 17,wherein the display mode switching means switches the display mode fromthe first display mode to the second display mode such that the digitalspeed meter is directly switched from a display state at the firstdisplay position to a display state at the second display positionwithout going through a display state at an intermediate positionbetween the first position and the second position.
 21. The vehicularmeter unit as in claim 20, wherein when the meter display mode switchingmeans switches the display mode from the first display mode to thesecond display mode, the meter display mode switching means performs theswitching from the display state of the digital speed meter at the firstposition to the display state of the digital speed meter at the secondposition after the completion of the erasure of the pointer type analogspeed meter.
 22. The vehicular meter unit as in claim 17, wherein whenthe meter display mode switching means switches the display mode fromthe first display mode to the second display mode, the meter displaymode switching means performs display control of causing the subsidiaryinformation output section to emerge after the completion of theswitching from the display state of the digital speed meter at the firstposition to the display state of the digital speed meter at the secondposition.
 23. The vehicular meter unit as in claim 17, wherein when themeter display mode switching means switches the display mode from thefirst display mode to the second display mode, the meter display modeswitching means provides the display state in the second display modeafter displaying a moving image of gradually erasing the display stateof the pointer type analog speed meter as a mode transition animation.24. The vehicular meter unit as in claim 17, wherein the subsidiaryinformation output section is an image display window providing a cameraimage display section or a car navigation image display section.
 25. Thevehicular meter unit as in claim 24, wherein when the meter display modeswitching means switches the display mode from the first display mode tothe second display mode, the meter display mode switching means providesthe display state in the second display mode after displaying a movingimage of causing the image display window to gradually emerge as a modetransition animation.
 26. A display device comprising: a display panelin which a plurality of pixels are formed in a matrix shape; and acontrol means for switching a display of the display panel among a firstdisplay image indicating first information, a contraction imageindicating the first information in a size contracted from the firstdisplay image and in a form different from the first display image, andan intermediate image indicating the first information in the same sizeas the first display image and in a form that is the same as or similarto the contraction image, wherein when the display is switched betweenthe first display image and the contraction image, the display isswitched to the intermediate image in the course of the switching of thedisplay.
 27. The display device as in claim 26, wherein the display isswitched from the intermediate image to the contraction image bygradually contracting the intermediate image to the size of thecontraction image.
 28. The display device as in claim 26, wherein thedisplay is switched from the contraction image to the intermediate imageby gradually enlarging the contraction image to the size of theintermediate image.
 29. The display device as in claim 26, wherein whenthe display is switched to the contraction image, a second display imageindicating second information is displayed by using a region obtained bysubtracting a region where the contraction image is displayed from aregion where the first display image was displayed.